top three theater schools

[kitkatgirl54]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 6:30pm

now i know this is entirely relative, however... i've been working in a regional theater this summer. there are a lot of college students from around the US there as well as a lot of people who are recently out of college. on several different occasions, i've heard people refer to their school as "top three."

At my school, I was always told that recently, top three has been switching around between Julliard, Carnegie Melon and NYU. However, this summer I have heard "Yeah..." *cracks knuckles "I go to University of the Arts.. yep, top three. You know." or "Yep.. I go to Kent State. Top three.." University of Florida? top three. Muhlenberg? top three. Penn State? top three. In fact, if I believed everything I were told, I would think there were about 25 schools in the top three.

So my question is, are these schools making themselves seem better than they are so students will go there? Is this top three thing a myth? If not, what are the true top three schools and has anyone else noticed this also? Updated On: 8/10/04 at 06:30 PM

[KMF_NYC]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 6:31pm

In the past Syracuse had a great theater program

[kitkatgirl54]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 6:32pm

from what i've been told, it still does. in fact, that's another one i was told was "top three" :)

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 6:33pm

How about a not so well known school named Yale?

I think it depends what category you are talking about. Acting? Singing? Triple Threats? Shakespeare? Stage Management? Costuming? Directing? Theater Management? Not every school is top three in every category.

[Pinguin]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 6:35pm

Keep in mind, everyone has a different opinion as to what constitutes a good theater school...each school has a different focus and different way of doing things that may suit one person better than another.

And, yes, schools try to make themselves seem more acclaimed to get you to apply there.

I have seen a lot in interviews and things, though, that casting directors like to see NYU, Juiliard and CMU.

Just a thought.

Posted: 8/10/04 at 6:39pm

The top musical theater program, from what many people think is at Cincinatti Conservatory of Music. I know that they also have a great acting program. Of course Boston Conservatory, Carnegie Melon, Michigan and so on are great.But you have to look at the classes that you want to take and the chances of you actually getting in!

[Born2cthelightsofbway]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 6:44pm

Juilliard is not for theatre, its for classical music. The boston conservatory has an excellent program though, and AMDA is supposed to be good too.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 6:45pm

Julliard is not for theater????? Tell that to Patti LuPone, Mandy Patinkin, Kevin Kline, Audra McDonald, Robin Williams, Kelsey Grammer, etc.

[kitkatgirl54]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 6:49pm

maybe it's opposites day. Julliard isn't for theater, AMDA is a good "school", and Kristen played Elphaba tonight. whatever.

[Sumofallthings]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 7:04pm

Robin Williams was expelled from Julliard

[Born2cthelightsofbway]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 7:10pm

Julliard has a drama dept. but is best known for its classical music program. It does not have a musical theatre program, only a drama dept, but is know for the classical music program.

[Born2cthelightsofbway]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 7:11pm

For your information Christopher Sieber went to AMDA, so they obviously have one good claim to fame.

[kitkatgirl54]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 7:25pm

i wouldn't consider AMDA a school because you don't get a degree and it is a 2 year program. they have had some good "alumni" but this may also be because they accept almost 50% of their applicants. however jason mraz went there and he is my favorite singer ever, so i guess i can't bash it completely to the ground.

juilliard is an amazing program for acting and i believe they only accept about 2% of their applicants. i was asking about schools where you can major in theater in general, which does not require them to provide a MT degree program.

p.s. really what i am most interested in with this post is what have you been told are quote unquote the "top schools" and who told you this. i just wonder where everyone hears this top three thing from because i'm sure there is no right answer. i was so suprised how much the opinion varied from person to person and it seems weird to throw these words "top three" around if it wasn't a known thing.

[zoran912]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 8:03pm

The three that I usually hear are CCM, CMU, and FSU. Those are the top three musical theatre schools, from what I have heard. I do not know about theatre or music.

[PJ]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 8:46pm

Someone told me before that to get in to Juilliard for Acting you have to have had training beforehand. Is this true? I was considering auditioning for them but if this is true, I'd say nevermind.

Also, when I toured CMU this July, I was told by my guide, Drew, that CMU did indeed have the number one theatre program. He didn't specify m.t. or plain acting, though. He also talked bad about CCM quite a bit and how they shape you in to the quintessential ensemble member there. This came from a Senior M.T. there. Updated On: 8/10/04 at 08:46 PM

[BalletGirl85]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 9:11pm

Something that I found out about AMDA is that they have a program to transfer into the New School where you can get your BFA. Does anyone have any other info on this?

[kitkatgirl54]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 9:13pm

yeah they have it worked out so you can take your liberal arts credits through some sort of independent study program at the New School for 2 years after recieving your AMDA certificate. i'm not sure what type of degree you recieve, though.

[JC14]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 9:23pm

Must we have this debate over and over again? Just use the search feature, it has magical powers.

[PJ]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 9:25pm

Shut up, Chorus Member!

[kitkatgirl54]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 9:29pm

i don't think people are reading my post correctly (or reading it at all?). i'm not asking about the top schools. i know what i think the top schools are, and i don't care what you think the top schools are.

my teachers have been telling me that my school is one of the top three schools and i always thought this was a known fact until being out of the city for the summer and realizing that every college theater major thinks they are in a top three school. i'm wondering who is doing this. because i only know my own point of view from my own school, i'm wondering what people from other schools have been told.

[musicgal04]

Posted: 8/10/04 at 11:08pm

In response to the question about AMDA and the connection to New School, the type of degree you get depends on the program you were in at AMDA. Studio Program(Straight Acting and Film) students who attend New School come out with a B.A. while Integrated Program(Musical Theatre) students come out with a B.F.A.

[dory the nun]

Posted: 8/11/04 at 12:44am

I go to UArts in Philadelphia.

we do not claim to be in the "top three" because what we're going by is that there is no "top three".

top three in what? you know?

Musical theatre wise- you are looking at what program best suits you- and because MT is like a triple major you have to know WHICH of the three is most important to you.

if you think it's this order:
1. singing
2. acting
3. dancing

you might do best at Michigan, CMU

or if you think its:
1.singing
2. dancing
3. acting

you might do best with CCM, Boston

if you think its:
1. acting
2. singing
3. dancing

you might do well with UArts, NYU

if you think its:
1. dancing
2.singing
3. acting

you might do well with Point Park, and others...


the point is... that there can be no TOP TEN since the field is so variable... right?


I know that many schools are more competitive than others... I know that we take 20-25 students in the Musical Theatre program each year out of the hundreds upon hundreds that audition... but does that make us in the "top 10" ? "top 5"? "top 3"?

in my humble opinion- I just think its what suits YOU as an ARTIST best- because its your job in those four years to acquire the skills you need to be successful in the business... every college has successful grads... you just have to find what is right for YOUR NEEDS.. and no magical listy-poo will be able to tell you that for real...


but.. who knows. maybe I'm all wrong...


*shrugs*

[WayWicked]

Posted: 8/11/04 at 12:49am

If you are serious about theater, musical or not, do not go to AMDA.

It is a joke. They accept anyone.

Top musical theater schools: Oklahoma City University (not University of Oklahoma..again, they'll accept anyone), CCM (but they're a bunch of a holes), NYU, CMU and FSU.

Emerson is having academic issues..they were a total mess last yuear.

Updated On: 8/11/04 at 12:49 AM

[feinstein9]

Posted: 8/11/04 at 4:46am

related question: what about the "best" schools for composing musicals? ehhhhh?

[kyle.]

Posted: 8/11/04 at 4:49am

off-topic: kitkatgirl54 is my cosi loving idol.